1.0 Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a mop head for the wet or damp wiping of floors, and more particularly to mop heads including an elongate textile layer which carries mop fringes and which is adapted to the shape of two plastic flaps of a mop holder with the flaps being adapted to snap together from a locked working position, the mop holder also including fastening elements for the releasable fixing of the mop head.
2.0 Discussion of Related Art
Mop head/mop holder systems in the field of the invention are used, for example, in institutional room cleaning.
A mop head described in DE-OS 37 14 178, comprises either a pocket at each longitudinal end, and an additional fastening element for fixing the mop head to the flaps of the mop holder, or two pockets on its upper surface and an additional fastening element on only one pocket. Similar mop heads are described in DE-PS 32 46 161, and DE-OS 37 14 178.
With these known mop heads, the two flap ends are supposed to be secured in the pockets of the mop head in the working position, i.e. during wiping, and thus facilitate the wiping movements. The additional fastening elements are provided to enable the mop head to be placed in washing buckets and presses for washing and squeezing out without having to be touched by hand. The additional fastening elements are designed in such a way that, when the flaps of the mop holder snap together, they come free from the pockets so that the mop head can only be offered to the washing bucket or the press hanging from the additional fastening elements. Depending on its construction, the mop head either hangs down lengthwise from a holder flap, where it is fixed at only one end or, where it is fixed at both ends, depends from the mop holder in the manner of a swing. After they have been squeezed out, the mop heads are placed back on the floor, the ends of the holder flaps are inserted into the pockets and the mop holder is brought into locked working position. All the operations described above are supposed to take place without the hand of the cleaner coming into contact with the mop head.
In view of this requirement, however, known mop heads have disadvantages, which do result in the hand of the user coming into contact with the mop head.
In one version which is described in DE-PS 32 46 161, the additional fixing plate is stitched to the pocket at the longitudinal end of the textile layer inside the pocket. If, now, the flap end attached to the additional fixing element comes free from the pocket, the mop head cannot in any way extend lengthwise downwards (to form almost a vertical extension of the flap end), being prevented from doing so by the opening edge facing the handle holder of the mop holder or rather by the width of the pocket. Because the pocket is stitched to the textile layer and where the end of the flap extends substantially vertically for large areas of the mop head, a part of the mop head is always inclined more or less horizontally thereto, substantially corresponding to the width of the pocket longitudinally of the textile layer. This part prevents the wet mop from being completely squeezed out, for example in roller presses. The danger arises that this end cannot be properly inserted into the roller press or may even snap back onto the end of the flap so that it cannot be squeezed out at all.
Moreover, the additional fixing plate must be of such a length that the flap end attached to it is unable to come free from the pocket. Problems thus arise when the end of the flap is re-inserted into the pocket because the additional fixing plate--by folding back and bending--prevents insertion of the flap end into the pocket. This disadvantage also attends the other known version where, besides pockets, additional fixing plates are arranged outside the pocket at both longitudinal ends of the textile layer.
In view of the disadvantages described above, the person using this cleaning system very quickly and spontaneously uses his or her hand to eliminate the difficulties arising.
In the known mop heads, further fastenings are provided in addition to the pockets and are made even longer than the pockets. This adds to the cost of the damp wiping mops through the additional material and additional production steps required in relation to standard mop heads having two pockets.
3.0 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved mop head both in regard to hygienic washing and squeezing out, and in regard to the improved use of material.
In a mop head of the type defined above, provides in the region opposite the pocket a fixing plate with fastening elements which is fixed to the textile layer, and which is designed to be tightly secured to a plastic flap of the mop holder by means of the fastening elements.
The invention provides a mop head in which--after fitting and attachment of the head to the holder with flap ends snapping together--one flap end comes free from the pocket so that the mop head hangs vertically over its entire length from the flap end attached to the fixing plate. In this way, the mop head can be easily introduced into roller presses and squeezed out over its entire length. The cleaner no longer has to touch the mop head by hand. Another advantage is that only one pocket and the fixing plate are formed on the damp wiping mop. This in itself represents a considerable saving of material over known mop heads.
A further saving of material is achieved through the fact that the fixing plate can now be made distinctly shorter than in the prior art because, according to the invention, the flap end attached to the fixing plate does not have to come free from a pocket.
In order to give the fixing plate sufficient flexibility for vertical orientation in relation to the hanging mop head, the fixing plate is subsequently fixed directly to the fringe-carrying part of the textile layer and is made flexible and, in particular, film-like at least in this fixing zone.
In addition to the fastening elements for securing the fixing plate to the flap end, it can be useful according to another embodiment of the invention, which seeks to improve stability and force transmission to the flap end, to provide a loop-like or annular holder on the fixing plate for accommodating the flap end.
A particularly low input and consumption of material in relation to known mop heads is obtained if, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the fixing plate is a strip from 1 to 3 cm wide stitched to the textile layer at its longitudinal ends.
In another embodiment of the invention, the fastening elements are arranged on the fixing plate and the end of the flap in the immediate vicinity of the attachment of the fixing plate to the textile layer. The attachment of the fixing plate to the flap end obtained in this way is particularly favorable for wiping and particularly suitable for the accompanying distribution and transmission of forces.
Since the mop head comes into contact with, in some cases, aggressive cleaning products and since the fixing plate is intended to be at least locally flexible, another embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the fixing plate is made of plastic, more particularly a thermoplastic based on polyether esters.
To transmit the forces occurring between the mop holder and the mop head during wiping, it is of particular advantage if the fixing plate has sufficient natural rigidity for the transmission of forces from the holder to the textile layer during wiping. This embodiment of the invention provides for the effective and problem-free transmission of forces from the holder via the fastening elements arranged in the fixing plate and the fixing plate itself to the textile layer 11 by means of the fastenings arranged on the holder.
This natural rigidity is also of particular advantage in cases where the fixing plate and the flap to which it is attached are intended to be displaceable relative to one another.
To enable the fixing plate to be attached simply to the flap, another embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the fastening elements are formed by holes in the fixing plate and corresponding projecting screw heads or studs which are fixedly formed on one flap end and which co-operate with the holes.
Finally, to allow relative displacement between the fixing plate and the flap, another embodiment of the invention includes slots for the fastening elements.